April 10, 2017

Highlighted Year: John Kidd, 1996

Punter, Miami
Dolphins

Age: 35

13th
season in pro football, 3rd with Dolphins (2nd complete)

College: Northwestern

Height: 6’3”Weight: 214

Prelude:

Kidd averaged
41.8 yards on 262 punts in college with a high average of 45.3 as a junior in
1982. He was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 1984 NFL
draft. As a rookie, Kidd averaged 42.0 yards on 88 punts. While averaging 41.5
yards on 92 puntsin 1985, his net
average of 35.9 yards ranked second in the AFC and his 33 punts inside the 20
topped the NFL. Kidd’s performance dropped off in 1985 to a 40.4 average on 75
punts with a net average of 34.5. He ended up spending six years with the Bills
in which he performed particularly well in bad weather. He left Buffalo after
having averaged 40.5 yards on 446 punts. Kidd signed with San Diego in 1990.
Following a solid first year with the Chargers in which he averaged 40.3 yards
on 76 punts he struggled through an inconsistent 1991 season. Kidd missed two
games with a back injury in ’92 and split 1994 with the Chargers and Dolphins.
He had a fine season in 1995, averaging 42.7 yards on 57 punts.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in all
16 games

[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 78 [9,
tied with Sean Landeta & Todd Sauerbrun]

Most punts,
game – 8 at Buffalo 10/13

Yards – 3611 [8]

Average – 46.3
[1]

Best average,
game – 54.4 (on 5 punts) vs. Dallas 10/27

Punts blocked
– 0

Longest punt
– 63 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 3

TDs – 0

Awards &
Honors:

2nd
team All-AFC: UPI

Dolphins went
8-8 to finish fourth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Kidd spent an
injury-plagued year with the Dolphins in 1997 and was cut during the 1998
preseason. He joined the Detroit Lions for two games and finished the year with
the New York Jets. Overall, Kidd punted 957 times for an average of 41.5 yards
with 201 punts for a 44.2-yard average occurring with Miami.1996 remained the only
season in which he received honors for his performance.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team
All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following
statistical categories: